The chief executive of a successful US exporter is to have a prime spot on Tuesday night to watch US President Barack Obama make the case in his final State of the Union speech for a sweeping Asian trade deal he hopes will be part of his legacy.
Rice’s Lucky Clover Honey chief executive officer Ronna Rice is to be one of 23 guests in the first lady’s box to hear the speech in person.
Inviting Americans whose stories bring to life the priorities of the White House has long been part of the annual State of the Union ritual.
As Obama in his last year in office pushes to sweet-talk trade-wary Democratic lawmakers to support the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Rice’s Lucky Clover Honey — which ships to countries including Japan, South Korea and China — is just the kind of company the White House wants US Congress to keep in mind.
When the White House called to invite her to the State of Union address, Rice, 71, thought one of her family members was playing a practical joke.
However, the honey is one of thousands of US exports that could get a lift from the TPP.
“I was thinking the other day about grandpa Rice,” she said in an interview, describing the quiet and deeply religious man who founded Rice’s Lucky Clover Honey in 1924, selling honey door-to-door from a wagon.
“He would have never believed where his company has come,” she said.
Obama wants lawmakers to quickly pass the TPP, but US Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has said he is inclined to wait until after the presidential election in November.
Democratic lawmakers in both the House of Representatives and Senate are concerned the deal could push jobs out of the US.
Some Republicans suspect the deal is another example of “crony capitalism” that rewards big business allies of the Washington establishment.
Obama has sought to brand the TPP as something that would help smaller US companies such as Rice’s Lucky Clover Honey grow bigger.
The TPP would open up export markets for US honey — particularly in Japan, where a tariff of more than 25 percent now limits growth. China, not part of the TPP deal, currently dominates the Japanese import market.
The deal requires Japan to eliminate the tariff on US honey after eight years, after which time US exporters would have an advantage over Chinese competitors.
Rice’s Lucky Clover Honey now ships around the US and has export sales of about $500,000 to Asia, supporting 15 jobs.
“It’s kind of amazing to be honest with you, to go from a very small company ... to being able to do this,” Rice said.
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